Photograph by Dick Blume, Post-Standard photographerWes Ganobcik, the head groundskeeper at Alliance Bank Stadium, walks onto the all-new natural grass field early Thursday, hours before the Syracuse Chiefs opened their season.

I was duly impressed Thursday by the visual impact of the new grass field at Alliance Bank Stadium, especially when combined with the reconfigured - and fully-matted - outfield fence.

I also like the new "Got Grass" marketing campaign, mainly because of the sort of crushed-faded tone of the green caps and T-shirts in the gift shop, which are about the - please excuse this word when nothing else will do - coolest I've seen offered by the Syracuse baseball club. It makes me think they should have gone to the same shade of green for their uniforms, which would have fit in nicely with much of what's happening in town.

And it also makes me wonder if an awful lot of college kids will enthusiastically take to wearing green caps and t-shirts that read: "Got Grass?"

My questions for today:

1.) What is your reaction to the changes at the field?

2.) What is your reaction to the agreement brokered between Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney and the Chiefs - a deal in which the club will repay the taxpayers about $249,000 of the $496,000 the county said that it was owed, following an audit?

3.) Grass is only one part of what needs to happen to create the kind of ballpark atmosphere that might impress the New York Mets. What other suggestions do you have for changing the traditionally languid feel at Alliance?